Chapter 334: A Group of Powerful Demons

The Levant Chain, this chess piece, should never have appeared on the chessboard.
Its birth was purely accidental, a "monstrosity" spawned by a sudden flash of inspiration from a group of Middle Eastern "tycoons."
They witnessed firsthand how Fang Huan from the East, starting as a shipping company, ultimately seized control of global shipping, manipulating the world at his fingertips!
At that moment, these nouveau riche, rolling in oil and wearing only a cloak over their heads, had a sudden epiphany!
They realized with a start that wielding the big stick of petrodollars was far from enough to make the Middle East the true center of the world stage; that was too simplistic!
They had to firmly grasp the vital sea lanes!
Thus, fueled by countless petrodollars, a new maritime power called the "Levant Chain" was born, like a greedy beast, roaring to devour this blue territory.
Its mission was clear: control oil with one hand and the ocean with the other!
However, Fang Huan seemed to have foreseen all of this.
“What the hell did you say? How much?!”
Just as the Levant was using the Port of Beirut as a springboard to expand its influence, an invisible hand reached out from the east and slammed it down.
“Report… their offer is three hundred billion US dollars.”
“Holy crap! These guys are insane!
Even if that place is a prime location, a future strategic stronghold, you can't play like this!
Three hundred billion US dollars, are they planning to fill the port with money?!”
Khalid Hassan, CEO of the Levant Company, was about to explode.
He had used Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds to painstakingly build up the Levant, gradually swallowing up surrounding shipping companies according to his established plan.
He was about to seize the operating rights of the Port of Beirut, completing the most crucial leap forward.
Taking Beirut would not only lock down the Middle East's maritime gateway but also serve as a fulcrum to gradually extend their reach to other continents.
However, Fang Huan seemed to have sensed their intentions and, in the simplest and most brutal way, erected an insurmountable barrier in their path of expansion.
Three hundred billion US dollars!
This isn't a bidding war; isn't this just stirring up trouble?
"Isn't this blatantly annoyance? Purely deliberate sabotage!" Khalid roared.
The Lebanese government officials are probably grinning from ear to ear right now; even a windfall wouldn't be this extravagant.
They couldn't wait to see the Levant and Fang Huan, these two tigers, bite each other, driving the price sky-high.
Originally, Khalid's plan was to slowly grind things out with the Lebanese government, engaging in a few rounds of feigned bidding, and finally reaching a settlement around ten billion US dollars—a win-win situation for everyone.
Who would have thought that Fang Huan wouldn't play by the rules at all, throwing out a bombshell right from the start: 30 billion!
That shattered the ceiling!
"Could their goal be that they never really wanted this port in the first place, and just wanted to make us bleed?"
An advisor cautiously analyzed.
"Nonsense! Would they be out of their minds to spend 30 billion US dollars on the operating rights of a port?"
Khalid roared irritably, but a sense of unease crept into his heart.
This move, the intention to maliciously disrupt things was all too obvious, so obvious it made him uneasy.
“But…we must consider another possibility,” another advisor calmly added.
“What if they’re serious? What if they’re determined to take over this port?
Do they really want to use this price of 30 billion US dollars to completely crush our hopes?
The Levant’s ambition to grow into a global shipping giant depends on the Port of Beirut, an indispensable cornerstone. Fang Huan understands this better than anyone.”
Khalid’s face darkened.
"You mean, they want to kick us back into the sea before we've even gotten a foothold?"
"Exactly, Mr. Khalid.
Our opponent is Fang Huan, who once single-handedly dominated the oceans!
They are textbook masters of where the dragon's rise is, where the vital points are.
They understand even better how to use a fulcrum to shift the entire world order!
So, they are likely using an outrageously high price to completely eliminate any thought of us participating in this game!"
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Khalid's head.
The office fell into a deathly silence.
Was this a reckless bluff, or a decisive, thunderous strike?
Khalid was deeply conflicted.
"If I really go for that price, those tycoons will definitely think I've lost my mind," he muttered to himself.
The advisor, as if reading his mind, said softly:
"But in the end, the princes will still make us follow, won't they?"
Those pampered Middle Eastern princes might initially jump out of their golden toilets in shock, but once they calm down, they'll find they have no choice but to follow, even if it means holding their noses.
"Damn it... what a bunch of ruthless wolves! Using this method to torment us!"
"You know Fang Huan's formidable reputation.
There are so many of their earth-shattering battles that they could fill a magnum opus.
There are even rumors that the White House is behind Fang Huan..."
The urban legends surrounding Fang Huan are chilling.
They've spread so widely that they've almost become mythical.
"Is the whole world just going to let them act so lawlessly? Recklessly reaping global wealth?" Khalid indignantly.
“The problem now is, nobody can touch them.
They're the ones providing the vaccines, and even if everyone gets vaccinated, once the mutated virus emerges, we'll have to beg them for booster shots.
For the next few years, I doubt any force will dare truly oppose Fang Huan!”
Khalid fell silent.
He felt like he wasn't facing a company, but a group of incredibly powerful demons!
“What should we do? If we don't offer a higher price today, Fang Huan will take the port.”
“…”
This was a death trap.
If they followed, and it was just a bluff, they'd be the ones getting ripped off;
If they didn't, and it was serious, Beirut would belong to Fang Huan.
The Levant would lose its most important strategic foothold, and its dream of dominating the seas would become a laughingstock.
“Damn it,” Khalid cursed under his breath, a flicker of grief and anger in his eyes, “those damned bastards.”
Fang Huan had presented him with a choice between A and B.
But both options led to hell!